In our AP Lang class, we've been watching bits and pieces of a film; a documentary called Miss Representation. The claim of the film seems to be that how women are represented in the media affects the way females look at themselves and what they can achieve. One way they attempt to lure watchers into their point of view is through the use of various "experts" on the subject. Another is the sudden flashing of media clips from various sources bashing females because they supposedly can't think of the idea of a female in power. But I can't help but question a few things about the tactics they use, specifically these two.
First of all, the media clips they flash in rapid succession is a bit suspicious. In particular, certain clips presented by people such as Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. Now anyone that knows Rush Limbaugh knows that he is largely conservative and, logically, wouldn't be that fond of a very democratic speaker of the house. But one of the clips they used to make their point was used incorrectly. During one of his radio shows, he played the famous song "Ding-Dong the Witch is Dead" from The Wizard of Oz, portraying the talk show host as sexist against female politicians. However, if you listen to the rest of the broadcast, he makes it clear the celebration was for a blow to the democratic party, NOT an attack on the gender of the politician. Check out the clip here (0:57-2:34).
The other thing I couldn't bring myself to believe were a few of the representations in the movie. One such person is Katie Couric, reporter for ABC and formerly CBS. During her first appearance in the film, she makes several baseless claims about the subject with no reference to any source of information. However, after a little searching, I'd be much more inclined to believe her than one of the other representatives shown in the film. While the movie does a lot to show examples of men bashing positive female roles, there are examples of female on female bashing as well, surprisingly enough from one of the reps themselves. Already losing her credibility being introduced as a comedian, Margaret Cho made a pretty clear attack on both Sarah Palin and her daughter. In this video, (1:07-2:47) she says that the family should "stay in reality television." If you follow the movie's claims, then how does this not fit the bill? If she's such an advocate of this, why is she contributing to the problem?
WC: 425
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Boethiah's Calling
Boethiah, also known as the Prince of Plots, is the Daedric Prince of numerous unlawful aspects including deceit, conspiracy, treason, assassination and secret plots of murder. He is typically depicted as male, but is sometimes referred to as female. His Daedric artifact in Skyrim is the Ebony Mail, which muffles your movement and shrouds you in a cloud of poison that damages nearby enemies.
This quest starts after being attacked by a cultist of Boethiah soon after turning level thirty. Read the book on his corpse entitled Boethiah's Proving. Then travel to the Sacellum of Boethiah, located in the mountains east-southeast of Windhelm. On the path upwards to the main Sacellum, there will be two cultists fighting inside a pit encircled with wooden posts sharpened at one end. Talk to the priestess watching them, who will need proof of your combat abilities. Join the fight between the two cultists already battling and the many more that were previously watching. Kill them all and report back to the priestess. She will hand you a small dagger and instruct you to lure an unwitting person to the sacrificial post before Boethiah's statue and kill them with the dagger. After making the sacrifice, she will take on the form of the sacrificial subject. She reveals that she is in dire need of a new champion and would like to appoint you as being worthy of such a title. Go to Knifepoint Ridge and dispose of her soon to be former champion and his cohorts. While it is not a requirement, she also asks you to kill them stealthily, preferably without being detected. Kill the opposition, take up the Ebony Mail and bask in the Prince's glory as she grants you the privilege of being her champion.
(Notes: The quest will sometimes require you to dispose of the cultists after the sacrifice in the fight to the death rather than before. Regardless of this, you are still required to do both before being tasked with Knifepoint Ridge)
WC: 333
This quest starts after being attacked by a cultist of Boethiah soon after turning level thirty. Read the book on his corpse entitled Boethiah's Proving. Then travel to the Sacellum of Boethiah, located in the mountains east-southeast of Windhelm. On the path upwards to the main Sacellum, there will be two cultists fighting inside a pit encircled with wooden posts sharpened at one end. Talk to the priestess watching them, who will need proof of your combat abilities. Join the fight between the two cultists already battling and the many more that were previously watching. Kill them all and report back to the priestess. She will hand you a small dagger and instruct you to lure an unwitting person to the sacrificial post before Boethiah's statue and kill them with the dagger. After making the sacrifice, she will take on the form of the sacrificial subject. She reveals that she is in dire need of a new champion and would like to appoint you as being worthy of such a title. Go to Knifepoint Ridge and dispose of her soon to be former champion and his cohorts. While it is not a requirement, she also asks you to kill them stealthily, preferably without being detected. Kill the opposition, take up the Ebony Mail and bask in the Prince's glory as she grants you the privilege of being her champion.
(Notes: The quest will sometimes require you to dispose of the cultists after the sacrifice in the fight to the death rather than before. Regardless of this, you are still required to do both before being tasked with Knifepoint Ridge)
WC: 333
The Black Star
Azura is the Daedric Prince of dawn and dusk. She always appears as female and is considered one of the few "good" Daedric Princes. Her artifact is known as Azura's Star, a soul gem that can be reused an unlimited number of times.
To begin this quest, simply talk to the innkeeper of any town or city. Travel to the location they will direct you towards, a shrine to the Daedric Prince among the snowy mountaintops south of Winterhold. There you will find a Dunmer, or Dark Elf, named Aranea Ienith. The follower of Azura will speak a cryptic message before directing you towards the inn at Winterhold, The Frozen Hearth. It is here that that you will find the mage Nelacar. At first, he will be resistant to your advances towards information, but a bit of coin or roughness ought to loosen his tongue a bit. Whether you intimidate or bribe him, he will give you a background on soul gems and how they are destroyed after use. He then tells of a story about one Malyn Varen, an old professor at the College of Winterhold and his examination of the legendary artifact known as Azura's Star. Nelacar told of how Malyn descended into madness while attempting to save himself from illness and ultimately grant himself immortality. The experiment eventually escalated to the point where he killed a student as a sort of test subject, resulting in his banishment from the College. He and a few of his disciples fled to what is known as Ilinalta's Deep, a fort half submerged in Lake Ilinalta. This is where you must travel to retrieve the artifact.
Upon arrival at the decrepit and sinking fort, enter through the hatch atop one of the sunken towers. Unsurprisingly, you will find many necromancers and undead waiting for you throughout the dungeon. Kill them all and make your way towards the dead body of Malyn Varen, laying supine in a pool of his own blood. Grab the Star on the chair behind his body and return to the Shrine of Azura. Aranea will tell you to communicate with Azura, who informs you that the Star cannot be used until it is purged of the evil within. She will transport your soul into the Star where you will deal with Varen and his Dremora minions. Once you've killed them all, you will be transported out of the now renewed Star, given Azura's blessing, and the quest will be complete.
(Note: You may bring it to Nelacar, who instead will turn it into The Black Star, capable of holding human souls as well. Regardless, no matter who you choose to bring the Star to, you must confront Valen within)
WC: 452
To begin this quest, simply talk to the innkeeper of any town or city. Travel to the location they will direct you towards, a shrine to the Daedric Prince among the snowy mountaintops south of Winterhold. There you will find a Dunmer, or Dark Elf, named Aranea Ienith. The follower of Azura will speak a cryptic message before directing you towards the inn at Winterhold, The Frozen Hearth. It is here that that you will find the mage Nelacar. At first, he will be resistant to your advances towards information, but a bit of coin or roughness ought to loosen his tongue a bit. Whether you intimidate or bribe him, he will give you a background on soul gems and how they are destroyed after use. He then tells of a story about one Malyn Varen, an old professor at the College of Winterhold and his examination of the legendary artifact known as Azura's Star. Nelacar told of how Malyn descended into madness while attempting to save himself from illness and ultimately grant himself immortality. The experiment eventually escalated to the point where he killed a student as a sort of test subject, resulting in his banishment from the College. He and a few of his disciples fled to what is known as Ilinalta's Deep, a fort half submerged in Lake Ilinalta. This is where you must travel to retrieve the artifact.
Upon arrival at the decrepit and sinking fort, enter through the hatch atop one of the sunken towers. Unsurprisingly, you will find many necromancers and undead waiting for you throughout the dungeon. Kill them all and make your way towards the dead body of Malyn Varen, laying supine in a pool of his own blood. Grab the Star on the chair behind his body and return to the Shrine of Azura. Aranea will tell you to communicate with Azura, who informs you that the Star cannot be used until it is purged of the evil within. She will transport your soul into the Star where you will deal with Varen and his Dremora minions. Once you've killed them all, you will be transported out of the now renewed Star, given Azura's blessing, and the quest will be complete.
(Note: You may bring it to Nelacar, who instead will turn it into The Black Star, capable of holding human souls as well. Regardless, no matter who you choose to bring the Star to, you must confront Valen within)
WC: 452
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Daedra Aren't So Bad
For the next several segments in my Skyrim series, I'd like to be on items known as Daedric artifacts and the corresponding quest for it. But in order to do so, I feel I should give some background on where they come from and the Daedra to which they belong. I will go into more depth on each realm in the explanation of each quest, as well as which leader rules over which realm.
The Daedra are defined as not having taken part in the creation of Mundus, the realm of Oblivion in which the Elder Scrolls takes place. There are many forms of Daedra, however only a few are encountered within Skyrim, mainly the elemental atronachs and the highly intelligent and deadly dremora. Among the Daedra, there are certain elite beings, or true Daedra, that rule over the different realms of Oblivion called Daedric Princes. There are seventeen princes, all associated with a characteristic that reflects themselves and their realm. For example, Sheogorath is the Daedric Prince of Madness, ruling over the realm known as the Shivering Isles. The DLC in the Elder Scrolls IV revealed that he was, indeed, quite mad, (insane), and that his realm was split in two to symbolize his somewhat split personality.
While they are generally considered to be evil and demonic, Daedra are just interpreted as such. They have a tendency to go to extremes in many cases, leading many people to believe such things. However, in reality, Daedra are infinitely incomprehensible to mortals, meaning Daedra are completely devoid of true good or true evil. Only six of the seventeen Daedric Princes actually take pleasure in such extremities, most of them contributing to the mortals' four pillars of destruction.
A Daedra cannot ever be truly killed. When a Daedra is "killed," it actually undergoes what is called banishment. Banishment is when the physical form of a Daedra is interrupted in such a way that it causes the being to fade into the void of Oblivion until it can return in another physical form. It essentially removes the Animus, or soul, of the Daedra until it can find a way to reincarnate itself.
Daedra are not only very skilled fighters and magic wielders, but also master craftsmen. Their weaponry and armor are renowned by many for being practically indestructible. They attain this legendary masterwork by using only raw ebony of the highest quality and infusing it with the soul of a Daedra through a dark ritual.
WC: 412
The Daedra are defined as not having taken part in the creation of Mundus, the realm of Oblivion in which the Elder Scrolls takes place. There are many forms of Daedra, however only a few are encountered within Skyrim, mainly the elemental atronachs and the highly intelligent and deadly dremora. Among the Daedra, there are certain elite beings, or true Daedra, that rule over the different realms of Oblivion called Daedric Princes. There are seventeen princes, all associated with a characteristic that reflects themselves and their realm. For example, Sheogorath is the Daedric Prince of Madness, ruling over the realm known as the Shivering Isles. The DLC in the Elder Scrolls IV revealed that he was, indeed, quite mad, (insane), and that his realm was split in two to symbolize his somewhat split personality.
While they are generally considered to be evil and demonic, Daedra are just interpreted as such. They have a tendency to go to extremes in many cases, leading many people to believe such things. However, in reality, Daedra are infinitely incomprehensible to mortals, meaning Daedra are completely devoid of true good or true evil. Only six of the seventeen Daedric Princes actually take pleasure in such extremities, most of them contributing to the mortals' four pillars of destruction.
A Daedra cannot ever be truly killed. When a Daedra is "killed," it actually undergoes what is called banishment. Banishment is when the physical form of a Daedra is interrupted in such a way that it causes the being to fade into the void of Oblivion until it can return in another physical form. It essentially removes the Animus, or soul, of the Daedra until it can find a way to reincarnate itself.
Daedra are not only very skilled fighters and magic wielders, but also master craftsmen. Their weaponry and armor are renowned by many for being practically indestructible. They attain this legendary masterwork by using only raw ebony of the highest quality and infusing it with the soul of a Daedra through a dark ritual.
WC: 412
Pffft, Sexism
In our AP Lang class, we've been watching a documentary called Miss Representation and dealing with various other topics regarding gender and gender roles. Because of this, I'd like to touch on something that can be quite the hot topic: sexism. A lot of people think that this is still a major issue in America right now and to some extent it still exists. But this notion that women aren't getting the same representation as men starts to get ridiculous and redundant. The same arguments always tend to come up, like how there are more men in political, scientific and mathematical professions and how it's completely based on sexism towards women or that women can't make their way up the ladder. I can't tell you how sick I am of hearing these claims.
The first part of this is gender discrimination of females in the workforce. In the documentary, they state several little factoids about the matter, specifically within politics. The video makes it look as if the reason more men are in politics than women is because of discrimination. If you are a woman in America and you're reading this, think about this. Do you have a desire to go into politics? If you do, then I wish you the best of luck in all your endeavors. If not, why do you think that is? The reason you don't see many women in politics is probably the same reason you don't see very many in math and science professions; they're simply not interested in the topic. The other part of this is that nowadays they have the option if they are interested. There's nothing stopping them but themselves from being anything, really.
Following up with my last point, there's also been an argument made that females in the workplace can't make their way up the metaphorical ladder due to gender. While this claim has more weight to it than the related one above, it still has little validity. For instance, if there was so much discrimination within such professional areas, how do you explain this? A lot of people don't know this, but there are more and more females rising through the ranks to the top spot of CEO in companies. But this doesn't just apply to the business world. Take the music industry. Rock is usually considered to be dominated by men and male frontmen. I hereby present to you the exception and proof that this is becoming less true. The female-fronted band Halestorm has reached fame, dominating the charts themselves over a number of male groups, including a number one song on iTunes and a top spot on Billboard's hard rock album list. Look at details of their success from Interactive Guitar magazine here.
WC: 457
The first part of this is gender discrimination of females in the workforce. In the documentary, they state several little factoids about the matter, specifically within politics. The video makes it look as if the reason more men are in politics than women is because of discrimination. If you are a woman in America and you're reading this, think about this. Do you have a desire to go into politics? If you do, then I wish you the best of luck in all your endeavors. If not, why do you think that is? The reason you don't see many women in politics is probably the same reason you don't see very many in math and science professions; they're simply not interested in the topic. The other part of this is that nowadays they have the option if they are interested. There's nothing stopping them but themselves from being anything, really.
Following up with my last point, there's also been an argument made that females in the workplace can't make their way up the metaphorical ladder due to gender. While this claim has more weight to it than the related one above, it still has little validity. For instance, if there was so much discrimination within such professional areas, how do you explain this? A lot of people don't know this, but there are more and more females rising through the ranks to the top spot of CEO in companies. But this doesn't just apply to the business world. Take the music industry. Rock is usually considered to be dominated by men and male frontmen. I hereby present to you the exception and proof that this is becoming less true. The female-fronted band Halestorm has reached fame, dominating the charts themselves over a number of male groups, including a number one song on iTunes and a top spot on Billboard's hard rock album list. Look at details of their success from Interactive Guitar magazine here.
WC: 457
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
The Writing Snowball Effect
One thing that a lot of people don't know about me is that I love writing stories, fiction to be exact. It's said that, if you look hard enough, a thousand story ideas are laid out in front of you every day, you just have to look for them. While I may not know the identity of said person, I've found his insight incredibly accurate. I can't tell you how many ideas I've come up with just from everyday happenings, not to mention all the various locations I've visited. For instance, something as simple as watching a ski show down at Ellis Park triggered the following idea: what if one of the people in the show was kidnapped on the water? What if it was the main character's job to save them? What if he had to look into his family history to discover the whereabouts of the kidnappers and what they want with him? And what would happen if it spanned across the country from the Midwest to New Orleans to the capitol city ending in a showdown of epic proportions?
In order to put this idea into actual words, as with anything else, I had to start somewhere. So I developed a sort of pre-writing ritual to get into a writing mood. I suggest you to find one if you find trying to sit down and write a challenge. Here are some suggestions that I use in my ritual.
1. Pick a time to start writing. My favorite, yet tragically scarcely used, times are late night and, to quote the great Sinatra, "the wee small hours of the morning."
2. Find your favorite spot in the house, or even in the neighborhood. The optimum spot for me is the desk under my loft bed.
3. Make yourself a hot (or cold) beverage. Coffee is the idealistic drink by my count, but if you're not a coffee drinker hot chocolate will suffice.
4. Choose some good music to listen to while you gather your thoughts. Personally I prefer the musical stylings of Billy Joel, Owl City, Frank Sinatra and Jack's Mannequin.
I hope these help you in your writing endeavors as they have with myself.
WC:366
In order to put this idea into actual words, as with anything else, I had to start somewhere. So I developed a sort of pre-writing ritual to get into a writing mood. I suggest you to find one if you find trying to sit down and write a challenge. Here are some suggestions that I use in my ritual.
1. Pick a time to start writing. My favorite, yet tragically scarcely used, times are late night and, to quote the great Sinatra, "the wee small hours of the morning."
2. Find your favorite spot in the house, or even in the neighborhood. The optimum spot for me is the desk under my loft bed.
3. Make yourself a hot (or cold) beverage. Coffee is the idealistic drink by my count, but if you're not a coffee drinker hot chocolate will suffice.
4. Choose some good music to listen to while you gather your thoughts. Personally I prefer the musical stylings of Billy Joel, Owl City, Frank Sinatra and Jack's Mannequin.
I hope these help you in your writing endeavors as they have with myself.
WC:366
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Hopes and Predictions
The regular season is long gone, wild card weekend passed, and the divisionals have come to a close, weeding out the elite of each conference. The championships begin next week with the San Francisco 49ers playing the first-time playoff winners, the Atlanta Falcons followed by a game reminiscent of the previous year between the New England Patriots and the unforeseen Baltimore Ravens, the winners advancing to face off in the Superbowl. Who would I like to see in the Superbowl? Falcons and Patriots without a doubt. I haven't had the pleasure of watching Matt Ryan and co. until today and I was fairly impressed, throwing accurate passes to a number of receivers. Also, if their rush game can do what they did today, they just might pull it off. I also chose the Patriots because he's had tons of experience and can connect with his receivers with as much, if not more, proficiency as Ryan. They're defense has only been getting better, as has their rush game, giving them a more versatile style of play. Not to mention they have a few Superbowl visits including three wins out of five visits. Sadly, the actuality of it will probably be 49ers rather than the Falcons. They have a better run game, demonstrated by quarterback Colin Kaepernick's record-breaking rushing yards, and have even more options with him than they had with Alex Smith.
This Class is Actually Relevant!
One thing that I hear a lot of kids complain about classes is the classic, "When am I ever going to use this?" Just over the past week or two, I've actually found myself applying quite a few thing from classes to things in the real world. These connections have been made not just in applying AP Lang, but various other classes including AP Psych, Japanese, and Sociology.
For instance, over the summer I went to the ELCA gathering in New Orleans where Lutheran churches from all over the nation come together under the Superdome to worship God and do service for the community. One of the days we were there, we had to share a bus with members from other churches, including one from a small town in Georgia, and were forced to sit next to someone we had never met before. As it turned out, the girl I had worked with was the daughter of a woman from Japan. As a result, she also spoke Japanese and we were actually able discuss difficulties in the language and even have a short conversation in the foreign language. It was a good application and test of what I had learned in the past few years of study.
The previous example is also a good starting point for a good application of sociological principles as well. Research has shown that even a complete stranger can be connected to you by an average of six people. The study went like this: one person was given the name of a random stranger and was only allowed to send it to one person asking if they knew that person. If they didn't, they would do the same, so on and so forth until the e-mail got around to the person. The point of the experiment was to show just how interconnected everyone is and it is most likely a result of events such as the aforementioned gathering.
On a slightly different note, some things can even be applied to something as simple as television show. Many youths and adults alike are watching the hit show Big Bang Theory, which is actually pretty informative as far as information goes. Just last week, we were learning about logical fallacies in AP Lang and watched a few clips of the show demonstrating them, specifically post hoc and reductio ad absurdum. However, as with most informative shows, it does have its errors. In one episode, Sheldon attempts to condition Penny by giving her chocolates for what he perceives to be good behavior. While the original premise, is sound, he slips up on one aspect of it. At one point, he says that using positive and negative reinforcement techniques, he could reduce a certain behavior pattern of Penny's. The problem is reinforcement is used to increase a behavior, the opposite of what Sheldon would be attempting. What he would want to use is positive or negative punishment if he wished to obtain the desired result of decreased behavior.
For instance, over the summer I went to the ELCA gathering in New Orleans where Lutheran churches from all over the nation come together under the Superdome to worship God and do service for the community. One of the days we were there, we had to share a bus with members from other churches, including one from a small town in Georgia, and were forced to sit next to someone we had never met before. As it turned out, the girl I had worked with was the daughter of a woman from Japan. As a result, she also spoke Japanese and we were actually able discuss difficulties in the language and even have a short conversation in the foreign language. It was a good application and test of what I had learned in the past few years of study.
The previous example is also a good starting point for a good application of sociological principles as well. Research has shown that even a complete stranger can be connected to you by an average of six people. The study went like this: one person was given the name of a random stranger and was only allowed to send it to one person asking if they knew that person. If they didn't, they would do the same, so on and so forth until the e-mail got around to the person. The point of the experiment was to show just how interconnected everyone is and it is most likely a result of events such as the aforementioned gathering.
On a slightly different note, some things can even be applied to something as simple as television show. Many youths and adults alike are watching the hit show Big Bang Theory, which is actually pretty informative as far as information goes. Just last week, we were learning about logical fallacies in AP Lang and watched a few clips of the show demonstrating them, specifically post hoc and reductio ad absurdum. However, as with most informative shows, it does have its errors. In one episode, Sheldon attempts to condition Penny by giving her chocolates for what he perceives to be good behavior. While the original premise, is sound, he slips up on one aspect of it. At one point, he says that using positive and negative reinforcement techniques, he could reduce a certain behavior pattern of Penny's. The problem is reinforcement is used to increase a behavior, the opposite of what Sheldon would be attempting. What he would want to use is positive or negative punishment if he wished to obtain the desired result of decreased behavior.
Damn Jester!
WARNING:SPOILERS
The Dark Brotherhood is a shadowy organization of secret assassins, said to be disbanded from a group based in Morrowind known as the Morag Tong. Although the missions they conduct aren't as "legal" as their older cousins, they can carry out a contract just as discreetly and have just as much power and influence. Instead of receiving writs of assassination like the Morag Tong, agents of the Dark Brotherhood are summoned by performing the Black Sacrament, a ritual in which an effigy of the victim is created using human bones, flesh and organs rubbed with the nightshade flower and stabbing it repeatedly while reciting the following: "Sweet Mother, sweet Mother, send your child unto me, for the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear." This plea then goes through their prime entity, the Night Mother, who passes the message on to the Listener, who in turn continues the chain to the collective. Their leader is a female Nord by the name of Astrid, a Redguard named Nazir being the second in command. Their headquarters is located in their Falkreath Sanctuary, later moving to Dawnstar.
While in the snowy city of Windhelm, you may overhear guards or other passersby mention a young boy holed up in his house, performing something called the Black Sacrament. Having piqued your interest, you decide to do a little B&E into the residence of Aventus Arentino. Upstairs, you will find him with all the fixings for the ritual and will assign you the contract, yourself posing as the assassin summoned. He will tell you about his escape from Honorhall Orphanage in Riften and insists that the old crone running it, Grelod the Kind, is anything but. Travel to Windhelm, kill the witch, and return for your reward. Rent a room in Candlehearth Hall and rest. But do not do so lightly, for you will surely be in for a surprise when you wake.
Upon awakening, you will find yourself in a small shack you will later discover is outside the city of Morthal. A female, revealing herself to be Astrid, is laying on top of a bookcase telling you the contract you accepted was originally meant for her organization. In order to repay her for your actions, she will direct you towards the back of the room where there are three people kneeling with hoods over their heads and instruct you to kill one of them (note: you may instead choose to kill Astrid, opting to destroy rather than join the Dark Brotherhood). She will then give you the key to leave the shack and invite you to their sanctuary near Falkreath. It is there that you will be officially inducted into the shadows and given your first set of assassination contracts. Complete them and report back for your next assignment.
You may notice something amiss in the main sanctuary area; specifically a man dressed as a jester (the Keeper, Cicero) with a large box containing the Night Mother. Astrid welcomes him in with reluctance and gives you your first real assignment as an agent of Sithis. You are to travel to Markarth and speak with a woman named Muiri about an ex-lover she wants taken care of, a bandit leader hiding in the Dwarven ruin of Raldbthar named Alain Dufont. Kill him, suggestedly using the crossbow traps on the ledge above him, and collect your reward from Muiri and Astrid.
Astrid will tell you that she senses something wrong with Cicero, who's been locking himself in his room at night and talking to himself. Hide in the Night Mother's coffin and listen to what Cicero says, apparently having been talking to the Night Mother all the time before. But something happens that's not anticipated: the Night Mother will start to glow and speak to you, informing you that you are the next Listener and to pass on a call made by Amaund Motierre in the ruin of Volunruud. Cicero soon discovers you and calls you a traitor, until he learns of the Night Mother's declaration of the Listener, information that causes him to dance jauntily in place. Inform Astrid of the Mother's given contract, who will tell you to receive new contracts from Nazir while she thinks it over.
When you return for your rewards from the preceding contracts, Astrid will approach with her decision. Follow the Night Mother's orders and go to Volunruud, where you will receive a very intriguing contract; no doubt a milestone in their history and just what they'd need to gain much needed influence and fear: assassinate the Emperor of Tamriel. He will hand you a jeweled amulet to cover expenses and a letter to Astrid. Return to the sanctuary and give Astrid the letter. She will read it and tell you to get the amulet appraised by an old friend in the Thieve's Guild, a fellow by the name of Delvin Mallory. Find him in the Ragged Flagon and give him the amulet. He will identify it as belonging to a member of the Elder Council and will comment on your "friends in all sorts of places." He'll give you letter of credit in exchange for the amulet, as per his and Astrid's "standard arrangement." After receiving the letter of credit, you will be given your first task in the assassination of the Emperor: kill a cousin of the Emperor on her wedding day.
Before taking on this special occasion, it is recommended to talk to other members as they give rather good strategies for eliminating the target. If you seek the seemingly young alchemy master Babette, she will suggest dropping the statue hanging above where she will be standing on the balcony. If you consult with Gabriella beforehand, she will tell of a bow, a few arrows and an archery potion on a parapet with a clear shot for a long-range kill. Whichever method you choose, kill her and get the hell outta dodge with Veezara covering your escape. Your next task in the intricate weaving of the plot to kill the Emperor is espionage work. Kill the commander of the guard's son Gaius Maro and plant a false letter on the body, placing him in a plot against the Emperor. While everything seems to be going according to plan on the assassination attempt, something's gone wrong among the group.
Cicero has apparently made an attempt on the lives of many members, including herself and the now grievously injured Veezara. Check his room for clues to where he went, the final journal revealing he has hidden away in the sanctuary outside of Dawnstar. Take up Astrid's horse Shadowmere and ride off to the sanctuary. Outside, you will find an injured Arnbjorn saying they injured each other and to "follow the blood."
Fight your way through the ghosts of former members and past a unique troll, the Undefrykte, towards Cicero. You will find him in the final room in a fetal position, begging you not to kill him. If you choose to, he reveals he is indeed uninjured and will fight back. Having dealt with the jester, continue with the contract.
The next step to this mission is to kill and impersonate the Gourmet, the highest up on the Emperor's kitchen staff, and poison the Emperor's food with the highly lethal jarrin root. Obtain the identity of the Gourmet, kill him, hide the body, and take up his role. Present the note looted from his body to Commander Maro to gain entrance to Castle Dour in Solitude. Assist the other chef in conjuring the concoction of death and watch as the two of you bring the Emeperor his last meal. Sneak out of the room as he tastes it and cross the bridge where a surprise in the form of information is awaiting you. Commander Maro appears with a tale of betrayal. on both parties. As it turns out, someone inside the organization had informed them of their plan. So they used a decoy and let them carry on with the operation in exchange for your life. The other betrayal? Maro intends to wipe out their organization as revenge for killing his son.
Arrive at the sanctuary to find several of the Emperor's guards outside and Festus pinned to a tree by the entrance by dozens of arrows. Enter the sanctuary and move past the bodies of Veezara and Gabriella, past a werewolf Arnbjorn fighting a losing fight, all the way to Nazir fighting a Penitus Oculatus Agent named Arcturus. Assist him in killing the agent and talk to him. Find an escape route, during which the Night Mother will tell you to hide in her coffin for protection. Several explosions and rumbles later, Nazir will open the coffin with Babette standing next to him, telling you Astrid is still alive and wishes to see you. She can be found in an alcove inside of her old room. She is found laying on the floor, body completely burnt with a circle of candles around her, having performed the Black Sacrament on herself. She reveals that she is the traitor for she didn't yet believe in the Night Mother and was jealous of your being named Listener. Take up her blade and deliver her will of the mercy killing. The organization still requiring it, you must continue the original job and finish what was started.
Travel to Whiterun and meet with Motierre on his ground floor room in the The Bannered Mare. According to Amaund, the Emperor is aboard is ship, The Katariah, docked in the Solitude inlet. He will also inform you that Commander Maro is on-board if you would like to exact revenge. Sneak aboard the ship, kill Maro if you wish, and tiptoe your way past several PO agentsto the Emperor's quarters. The Emperor will greet you immediately after entering, having been expecting you knowing it is his destiny to die by your hand. However, he will request one last thing before you kill him; he wishes that you kill the one who orchestrated this attempt as he may be doing it for personal gains. Kill the Emperor and meet back in Amaund's room. His reward is revealed to be in a dead drop in the room where you first met him. If you so desire, you may fulfill the Emperor's last wish and kill him. Regardless, collect your reward of 20,000 septims and return to Nazir, now based in the Dawnstar Sanctuary. The Dark Brotherhood has now gained influence and fear over many once more, thanks to you.
The Dark Brotherhood is a shadowy organization of secret assassins, said to be disbanded from a group based in Morrowind known as the Morag Tong. Although the missions they conduct aren't as "legal" as their older cousins, they can carry out a contract just as discreetly and have just as much power and influence. Instead of receiving writs of assassination like the Morag Tong, agents of the Dark Brotherhood are summoned by performing the Black Sacrament, a ritual in which an effigy of the victim is created using human bones, flesh and organs rubbed with the nightshade flower and stabbing it repeatedly while reciting the following: "Sweet Mother, sweet Mother, send your child unto me, for the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear." This plea then goes through their prime entity, the Night Mother, who passes the message on to the Listener, who in turn continues the chain to the collective. Their leader is a female Nord by the name of Astrid, a Redguard named Nazir being the second in command. Their headquarters is located in their Falkreath Sanctuary, later moving to Dawnstar.
While in the snowy city of Windhelm, you may overhear guards or other passersby mention a young boy holed up in his house, performing something called the Black Sacrament. Having piqued your interest, you decide to do a little B&E into the residence of Aventus Arentino. Upstairs, you will find him with all the fixings for the ritual and will assign you the contract, yourself posing as the assassin summoned. He will tell you about his escape from Honorhall Orphanage in Riften and insists that the old crone running it, Grelod the Kind, is anything but. Travel to Windhelm, kill the witch, and return for your reward. Rent a room in Candlehearth Hall and rest. But do not do so lightly, for you will surely be in for a surprise when you wake.
Upon awakening, you will find yourself in a small shack you will later discover is outside the city of Morthal. A female, revealing herself to be Astrid, is laying on top of a bookcase telling you the contract you accepted was originally meant for her organization. In order to repay her for your actions, she will direct you towards the back of the room where there are three people kneeling with hoods over their heads and instruct you to kill one of them (note: you may instead choose to kill Astrid, opting to destroy rather than join the Dark Brotherhood). She will then give you the key to leave the shack and invite you to their sanctuary near Falkreath. It is there that you will be officially inducted into the shadows and given your first set of assassination contracts. Complete them and report back for your next assignment.
You may notice something amiss in the main sanctuary area; specifically a man dressed as a jester (the Keeper, Cicero) with a large box containing the Night Mother. Astrid welcomes him in with reluctance and gives you your first real assignment as an agent of Sithis. You are to travel to Markarth and speak with a woman named Muiri about an ex-lover she wants taken care of, a bandit leader hiding in the Dwarven ruin of Raldbthar named Alain Dufont. Kill him, suggestedly using the crossbow traps on the ledge above him, and collect your reward from Muiri and Astrid.
Astrid will tell you that she senses something wrong with Cicero, who's been locking himself in his room at night and talking to himself. Hide in the Night Mother's coffin and listen to what Cicero says, apparently having been talking to the Night Mother all the time before. But something happens that's not anticipated: the Night Mother will start to glow and speak to you, informing you that you are the next Listener and to pass on a call made by Amaund Motierre in the ruin of Volunruud. Cicero soon discovers you and calls you a traitor, until he learns of the Night Mother's declaration of the Listener, information that causes him to dance jauntily in place. Inform Astrid of the Mother's given contract, who will tell you to receive new contracts from Nazir while she thinks it over.
When you return for your rewards from the preceding contracts, Astrid will approach with her decision. Follow the Night Mother's orders and go to Volunruud, where you will receive a very intriguing contract; no doubt a milestone in their history and just what they'd need to gain much needed influence and fear: assassinate the Emperor of Tamriel. He will hand you a jeweled amulet to cover expenses and a letter to Astrid. Return to the sanctuary and give Astrid the letter. She will read it and tell you to get the amulet appraised by an old friend in the Thieve's Guild, a fellow by the name of Delvin Mallory. Find him in the Ragged Flagon and give him the amulet. He will identify it as belonging to a member of the Elder Council and will comment on your "friends in all sorts of places." He'll give you letter of credit in exchange for the amulet, as per his and Astrid's "standard arrangement." After receiving the letter of credit, you will be given your first task in the assassination of the Emperor: kill a cousin of the Emperor on her wedding day.
Before taking on this special occasion, it is recommended to talk to other members as they give rather good strategies for eliminating the target. If you seek the seemingly young alchemy master Babette, she will suggest dropping the statue hanging above where she will be standing on the balcony. If you consult with Gabriella beforehand, she will tell of a bow, a few arrows and an archery potion on a parapet with a clear shot for a long-range kill. Whichever method you choose, kill her and get the hell outta dodge with Veezara covering your escape. Your next task in the intricate weaving of the plot to kill the Emperor is espionage work. Kill the commander of the guard's son Gaius Maro and plant a false letter on the body, placing him in a plot against the Emperor. While everything seems to be going according to plan on the assassination attempt, something's gone wrong among the group.
Cicero has apparently made an attempt on the lives of many members, including herself and the now grievously injured Veezara. Check his room for clues to where he went, the final journal revealing he has hidden away in the sanctuary outside of Dawnstar. Take up Astrid's horse Shadowmere and ride off to the sanctuary. Outside, you will find an injured Arnbjorn saying they injured each other and to "follow the blood."
Fight your way through the ghosts of former members and past a unique troll, the Undefrykte, towards Cicero. You will find him in the final room in a fetal position, begging you not to kill him. If you choose to, he reveals he is indeed uninjured and will fight back. Having dealt with the jester, continue with the contract.
The next step to this mission is to kill and impersonate the Gourmet, the highest up on the Emperor's kitchen staff, and poison the Emperor's food with the highly lethal jarrin root. Obtain the identity of the Gourmet, kill him, hide the body, and take up his role. Present the note looted from his body to Commander Maro to gain entrance to Castle Dour in Solitude. Assist the other chef in conjuring the concoction of death and watch as the two of you bring the Emeperor his last meal. Sneak out of the room as he tastes it and cross the bridge where a surprise in the form of information is awaiting you. Commander Maro appears with a tale of betrayal. on both parties. As it turns out, someone inside the organization had informed them of their plan. So they used a decoy and let them carry on with the operation in exchange for your life. The other betrayal? Maro intends to wipe out their organization as revenge for killing his son.
Arrive at the sanctuary to find several of the Emperor's guards outside and Festus pinned to a tree by the entrance by dozens of arrows. Enter the sanctuary and move past the bodies of Veezara and Gabriella, past a werewolf Arnbjorn fighting a losing fight, all the way to Nazir fighting a Penitus Oculatus Agent named Arcturus. Assist him in killing the agent and talk to him. Find an escape route, during which the Night Mother will tell you to hide in her coffin for protection. Several explosions and rumbles later, Nazir will open the coffin with Babette standing next to him, telling you Astrid is still alive and wishes to see you. She can be found in an alcove inside of her old room. She is found laying on the floor, body completely burnt with a circle of candles around her, having performed the Black Sacrament on herself. She reveals that she is the traitor for she didn't yet believe in the Night Mother and was jealous of your being named Listener. Take up her blade and deliver her will of the mercy killing. The organization still requiring it, you must continue the original job and finish what was started.
Travel to Whiterun and meet with Motierre on his ground floor room in the The Bannered Mare. According to Amaund, the Emperor is aboard is ship, The Katariah, docked in the Solitude inlet. He will also inform you that Commander Maro is on-board if you would like to exact revenge. Sneak aboard the ship, kill Maro if you wish, and tiptoe your way past several PO agentsto the Emperor's quarters. The Emperor will greet you immediately after entering, having been expecting you knowing it is his destiny to die by your hand. However, he will request one last thing before you kill him; he wishes that you kill the one who orchestrated this attempt as he may be doing it for personal gains. Kill the Emperor and meet back in Amaund's room. His reward is revealed to be in a dead drop in the room where you first met him. If you so desire, you may fulfill the Emperor's last wish and kill him. Regardless, collect your reward of 20,000 septims and return to Nazir, now based in the Dawnstar Sanctuary. The Dark Brotherhood has now gained influence and fear over many once more, thanks to you.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Total Domination
Lately, I've been expanding my horizons on some of the games I play, incorporating more genres into my repertoires. The latest game I've stumbled upon is one that I started playing at a friend's house. It's called Cilization V and has a very interesting dynamic to it. The basis of the game is founded upon choosing a civilization from time, ranging from the Iriqois to Napoleon to Caesar, and competing with other civilizations to claim territory, resources, and advance technologically and culturally. You may also form alliances or declare war upon other nations as well as other lesser powers randomly generated known as city-states. You can trade gold, resources, technology or even whole cities to gain influence and status with other nations. Because of these aspects, there are four ways you can win; domination (destroying everything), scientific (research Apollo Program and build Spaceship), diplomatic (research Globalization technologies) and cultural (unlock and build Utopia Project).
Once a Thief, Always a Thief
WARNING: SPOILERS
The Thieves' Guild is exactly as the name implies: a guild of thieves. It is called The Ragged Flagon and is based in the Ratways, a series of underground tunnels underneath the shady town of Riften. The leader of the guild is the guild master and is initially a man named Mercer Frey. While the guild technically conducts illegal operations, they are formally recognized throughout Tamriel and are considered a sort of "crime regulation," as they don't allow competition to occur. Also, as with any group of professionals, they have their own code to not rob each other or the poor or kill the ones they steal from. Despite all this, they still have a very powerful influence with the power to bribe guards and numerous contacts and black market dealers scattered across Tamriel.
The quest to join the Guild begins when you meet a man in the central marketplace named Brynjolf. He will ask you to steal a ring from one of the vendors, kept in a strongbox in his stall, and plant it on one of the other merchants while he creates a distraction. After completing his assignment, he will give you your reward of one hundred septims and instruct you to find him in the Ragged Flagon. Here, he will give you your next assignment: collect the debts that people in Riften owe the Guild through intimidation. Completing this task will gain entry into the Thieves Guild.
The next job you receive, given to you by the guild master himself, requires you to infiltrate an estate belonging to a former business partner of theirs and burn down three beehives. Then, sneakily make your way into the building itself and obtain the key to his safe and retrieve the bill of sale for the estate. Return to Brynjolf once this is done. He will tell you to find Maven Black-Briar, owner of the Black-Briar Meadery and long-time dealer with the Thieves Guild. You'll find that she wants her competitor, Honningbrew Meadery in Whiterun, put out of business. Talk to Maven's contact in the meadery who will inform you that the owner plans to hold a tasting for a person of high importance and poisoning the vats of mead will almost assuredly put her out of business. Report back to Maven and Brynjolf, telling you to speak to Mercer.
The guild master has found that the sigil on both the bill of sale and a note found in Honningbrew both belong to an old corroborator, an Argonian named Gulum-Ei. However, in order to get the information from him, you must steal a bottle of Firebrand Wine for him. He tells then you that a girl gave him a large sack of septims for the sale of the estate. Suspecting he knows more, you must follow him through a warren tunnels in Brinewater Grotto until you finally confront him for more information. He gives you the name of the one you seek; Karliah, the thief who murdered the guild master before Mercer, Gallus. Return to Mercer and tell of your findings, which Mercer will use as a basis to infer her location: Snow Veil Sanctum. You and Mercer will make your way through the labyrinthine ruin towards her location. Upon coming across a Nordic puzzle door, Mercer will open it by exploiting a weakness in it. Enter the door, upon which you will be shot with an arrow by Karliah. You will then witness a brief exchange between Mercer and the thief, after which Karliah will disappear. Mercer will then come up to you, vocalize a few parting words, then proceeds to stab you, causing you to black out. You will then awake outside of the ruin with Karliah in front of you. She will explain that the arrow was meant for Mercer, but instead was shot at you, tipped with a paralytic poison that slowed your heart rate and prevented bleed-out from the stab wound. She'll give you Gallus' encoded journal and direct you towards Enthir at the College of Winterhold to decode it.
Enthir identifies the text as the language of the Falmer, but isn't fluent in the language. He says you will have to seek Calcelmo in Markarth and acquire the key to the Dwemer museum and create a rubbing of the knowledge he will refuse to give you. After obtaining the rubbing, return to Enthir who, with Karliah in the room, will confirm that Mercer violated the sacred shrine to the Daedric prince Nocturnal known as the Twilight Sepulcher, something the Nighingales (sentinels of Nocturnal) are supposed to protect. In order to figure out what he's planning you must infiltrate his residence of Riftweald Manor, retrieve his plans, and return them to the Flagon's cistern where Karliah and Brynjolf await. The three of you will meet by the shadow stone in Riften, where Karliah will proceed to show you into the Nightingale Hall. You will obtain the armor of the Nightingales and proceed to the shrine in which Karliah will summon Nocturnal and induct you and Brynjolf into the Nightingales. This will prepare you for the ultimate challenge: killing Mercer Frey.
Before your expedition to Irkngthand, Brynjolf will inform you that Karliah has chosen you as the next guild master. Accept and listen to his instructions on following Mercer, who plans to make off with the Skeleton Key (Nocturnal's artifact) and steal the Eyes of the Falmer from the statue in the Dwarven ruin. You will face him in the sanctuary, where he will turn Brynjolf against Karliah for the entirety of the fight and will periodically turn invisible while fighting you. Kill him and take the Key and the Eyes off his body. The ceiling of the chamber will collapse, flooding the place with water. However, everyone is able to escape through an opening at the top of the chamber. Karliah will give you her bow as a reward and return to Nightingale Hall.
Your final test is to return the Key to the Ebonmere, a sort of portal to Nocturnal's realm of Evergloam. It resides within the Twilight Sepulcher, through which you will be put through a series of five tests. Upon entrance, you will meet with a sentinel, who reveals himself to be the spirit of Gallus. He will tell you to follow the Pilgrim's Path to reach the Ebonmere. The tests are as follows:
"Shadows of their former selves, sentinels of the dark. They wander ever more and deal swift death to defilers."
Sentinels will attack you if disturbed.
"Above all they stand, vigilance everlasting. Beholden to the murk yet contentious of the glow."
In a room with complete light and complete shadow, stay in the shadow at all costs. Light will damage your health while bathed in it.
"Offer what She desires most, but reject the material. For her greatest want is that which cannot be seen, felt or carried."
Extinguish the torches next to the statue of Nocturnal in the room.
"Direct and yet indirect. The path to salvation a route of cunning with fortune betraying the foolish."
You have one of two options: go down a hall with two dart traps, a pendulum trap, a spear trap and a battering ram trap or pick a master lock and face two sentinels beyond the door.
"The journey is complete, the Empress's embrace awaits the fallen. Hesitate not if you wish to gift her your eternal devotion."
Jump down the well and insert the Skeleton Key, which will give you access to the Ebonmere. Nocturnal will appear and "congatulate" you. Choose one of three gifts she grants you by standing on the corresponding platform.
The Thieves' Guild is exactly as the name implies: a guild of thieves. It is called The Ragged Flagon and is based in the Ratways, a series of underground tunnels underneath the shady town of Riften. The leader of the guild is the guild master and is initially a man named Mercer Frey. While the guild technically conducts illegal operations, they are formally recognized throughout Tamriel and are considered a sort of "crime regulation," as they don't allow competition to occur. Also, as with any group of professionals, they have their own code to not rob each other or the poor or kill the ones they steal from. Despite all this, they still have a very powerful influence with the power to bribe guards and numerous contacts and black market dealers scattered across Tamriel.
The quest to join the Guild begins when you meet a man in the central marketplace named Brynjolf. He will ask you to steal a ring from one of the vendors, kept in a strongbox in his stall, and plant it on one of the other merchants while he creates a distraction. After completing his assignment, he will give you your reward of one hundred septims and instruct you to find him in the Ragged Flagon. Here, he will give you your next assignment: collect the debts that people in Riften owe the Guild through intimidation. Completing this task will gain entry into the Thieves Guild.
The next job you receive, given to you by the guild master himself, requires you to infiltrate an estate belonging to a former business partner of theirs and burn down three beehives. Then, sneakily make your way into the building itself and obtain the key to his safe and retrieve the bill of sale for the estate. Return to Brynjolf once this is done. He will tell you to find Maven Black-Briar, owner of the Black-Briar Meadery and long-time dealer with the Thieves Guild. You'll find that she wants her competitor, Honningbrew Meadery in Whiterun, put out of business. Talk to Maven's contact in the meadery who will inform you that the owner plans to hold a tasting for a person of high importance and poisoning the vats of mead will almost assuredly put her out of business. Report back to Maven and Brynjolf, telling you to speak to Mercer.
The guild master has found that the sigil on both the bill of sale and a note found in Honningbrew both belong to an old corroborator, an Argonian named Gulum-Ei. However, in order to get the information from him, you must steal a bottle of Firebrand Wine for him. He tells then you that a girl gave him a large sack of septims for the sale of the estate. Suspecting he knows more, you must follow him through a warren tunnels in Brinewater Grotto until you finally confront him for more information. He gives you the name of the one you seek; Karliah, the thief who murdered the guild master before Mercer, Gallus. Return to Mercer and tell of your findings, which Mercer will use as a basis to infer her location: Snow Veil Sanctum. You and Mercer will make your way through the labyrinthine ruin towards her location. Upon coming across a Nordic puzzle door, Mercer will open it by exploiting a weakness in it. Enter the door, upon which you will be shot with an arrow by Karliah. You will then witness a brief exchange between Mercer and the thief, after which Karliah will disappear. Mercer will then come up to you, vocalize a few parting words, then proceeds to stab you, causing you to black out. You will then awake outside of the ruin with Karliah in front of you. She will explain that the arrow was meant for Mercer, but instead was shot at you, tipped with a paralytic poison that slowed your heart rate and prevented bleed-out from the stab wound. She'll give you Gallus' encoded journal and direct you towards Enthir at the College of Winterhold to decode it.
Enthir identifies the text as the language of the Falmer, but isn't fluent in the language. He says you will have to seek Calcelmo in Markarth and acquire the key to the Dwemer museum and create a rubbing of the knowledge he will refuse to give you. After obtaining the rubbing, return to Enthir who, with Karliah in the room, will confirm that Mercer violated the sacred shrine to the Daedric prince Nocturnal known as the Twilight Sepulcher, something the Nighingales (sentinels of Nocturnal) are supposed to protect. In order to figure out what he's planning you must infiltrate his residence of Riftweald Manor, retrieve his plans, and return them to the Flagon's cistern where Karliah and Brynjolf await. The three of you will meet by the shadow stone in Riften, where Karliah will proceed to show you into the Nightingale Hall. You will obtain the armor of the Nightingales and proceed to the shrine in which Karliah will summon Nocturnal and induct you and Brynjolf into the Nightingales. This will prepare you for the ultimate challenge: killing Mercer Frey.
Before your expedition to Irkngthand, Brynjolf will inform you that Karliah has chosen you as the next guild master. Accept and listen to his instructions on following Mercer, who plans to make off with the Skeleton Key (Nocturnal's artifact) and steal the Eyes of the Falmer from the statue in the Dwarven ruin. You will face him in the sanctuary, where he will turn Brynjolf against Karliah for the entirety of the fight and will periodically turn invisible while fighting you. Kill him and take the Key and the Eyes off his body. The ceiling of the chamber will collapse, flooding the place with water. However, everyone is able to escape through an opening at the top of the chamber. Karliah will give you her bow as a reward and return to Nightingale Hall.
Your final test is to return the Key to the Ebonmere, a sort of portal to Nocturnal's realm of Evergloam. It resides within the Twilight Sepulcher, through which you will be put through a series of five tests. Upon entrance, you will meet with a sentinel, who reveals himself to be the spirit of Gallus. He will tell you to follow the Pilgrim's Path to reach the Ebonmere. The tests are as follows:
"Shadows of their former selves, sentinels of the dark. They wander ever more and deal swift death to defilers."
Sentinels will attack you if disturbed.
"Above all they stand, vigilance everlasting. Beholden to the murk yet contentious of the glow."
In a room with complete light and complete shadow, stay in the shadow at all costs. Light will damage your health while bathed in it.
"Offer what She desires most, but reject the material. For her greatest want is that which cannot be seen, felt or carried."
Extinguish the torches next to the statue of Nocturnal in the room.
"Direct and yet indirect. The path to salvation a route of cunning with fortune betraying the foolish."
You have one of two options: go down a hall with two dart traps, a pendulum trap, a spear trap and a battering ram trap or pick a master lock and face two sentinels beyond the door.
"The journey is complete, the Empress's embrace awaits the fallen. Hesitate not if you wish to gift her your eternal devotion."
Jump down the well and insert the Skeleton Key, which will give you access to the Ebonmere. Nocturnal will appear and "congatulate" you. Choose one of three gifts she grants you by standing on the corresponding platform.
I Like Coffee (Snow Days)
A few weeks ago, our school had a snow day, ironically enough, a day before our winter break began. Now, I believe most people will agree with me that snow days are great. You don't have any school work to worry about, you don't even have to go to school, so you can sleep in late, and there are so many things that you can do on a snow day that are productive, fun, or relaxed. Here are a few things you can do to make your snow days more enjoyable:
Play out in the cold
While it may not always be advised, this is usually a great way to spend a snow day. Parents these days are always saying how important getting exercise and going outside is these days, why should a bunch of white fluffy stuff on the ground change that? Gather some friends and construct a snow fort, have a snowball fight, birth a snowman, create a snow angel, go crazy! If you get tired or too cold, go inside for a nice steaming cup of coffee to warm you up for another round of playtime.
Catch up on some reading
I'm not sure how many of you are big on reading books, but if you're not big on the cold weather or just don't feel like going outside, it's a pretty good idea to just sit down in your favorite spot, curl up into a warm blanket and read the day away. Maybe have a hot cup of coffee within arm's reach on a nearby coffee table.
Watch a good movie
This is also a good alternative to going outside if you're not too fond of the frigid winter temperatures. Sit back, relax and enjoy a flick, possibly with a friend or two. There are so many possibilities to choose from ranging from action to comedy to romance as well as so many options in each genre to choose from. Make some popcorn and couple it with some candy and soda and settle down for your feature presentation. And, of course, coffee is always an option.
Game the day away
Most guys will probably admit to this one. Hell, even I do this most of the time. Sit down at the computer, pop in your favorite game, be it strategy, first person shooter or role-playing, boot it up and game like the wind. Although, make sure that you have a steady supply of a quality drink at the ready, such as coffee, to stimulate the mind, enabling your ability to make better decisions.
Be creative
Lastly, one of the best ways to spend a day to yourself is to do something that unleashes your creativity to the fullest extent in your own way possible. If you're an artist, draw something that you enjoy drawing. If you're a science person, try a new experiment (just don't burn the house down). If you're into physics or inventing, try designing a rube goldberg machine and, if time allows it, craft it. If you like to write, create a story of epic proportions. Personally, I suggest doing these in a comfortable, creative environment with music in the background and a large mug of coffee at the ready.
WC: 537
Play out in the cold
While it may not always be advised, this is usually a great way to spend a snow day. Parents these days are always saying how important getting exercise and going outside is these days, why should a bunch of white fluffy stuff on the ground change that? Gather some friends and construct a snow fort, have a snowball fight, birth a snowman, create a snow angel, go crazy! If you get tired or too cold, go inside for a nice steaming cup of coffee to warm you up for another round of playtime.
Catch up on some reading
I'm not sure how many of you are big on reading books, but if you're not big on the cold weather or just don't feel like going outside, it's a pretty good idea to just sit down in your favorite spot, curl up into a warm blanket and read the day away. Maybe have a hot cup of coffee within arm's reach on a nearby coffee table.
Watch a good movie
This is also a good alternative to going outside if you're not too fond of the frigid winter temperatures. Sit back, relax and enjoy a flick, possibly with a friend or two. There are so many possibilities to choose from ranging from action to comedy to romance as well as so many options in each genre to choose from. Make some popcorn and couple it with some candy and soda and settle down for your feature presentation. And, of course, coffee is always an option.
Game the day away
Most guys will probably admit to this one. Hell, even I do this most of the time. Sit down at the computer, pop in your favorite game, be it strategy, first person shooter or role-playing, boot it up and game like the wind. Although, make sure that you have a steady supply of a quality drink at the ready, such as coffee, to stimulate the mind, enabling your ability to make better decisions.
Be creative
Lastly, one of the best ways to spend a day to yourself is to do something that unleashes your creativity to the fullest extent in your own way possible. If you're an artist, draw something that you enjoy drawing. If you're a science person, try a new experiment (just don't burn the house down). If you're into physics or inventing, try designing a rube goldberg machine and, if time allows it, craft it. If you like to write, create a story of epic proportions. Personally, I suggest doing these in a comfortable, creative environment with music in the background and a large mug of coffee at the ready.
WC: 537
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